To Serve

"But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45

Yesterday, I received a package by Fedex from my publishing company with the galleys for my new book, Family Theology: Finding God in Very Human Relationships. It really terrified me. Something I have worked on for so long, struggled with and nurtured along for so many months is almost complete, almost ready to be sent to the printers and made completely real. I feel very humbled, praying that what I offer in this book might be uplifting and helpful to others. That's why write this blog, and why I wrote the book. Sometimes though, it is hard to know if one is offering what others really truly need, being the servants we are called to be. Sometimes we can delude ourselves thinking we are being humble when we are actually being a stumbling block for others.

James and John were jockeying for position with Jesus as they made their way down to Jerusalem. He couldn't have been clearer that this trip would be nothing short of life ending and life changing for them all. The two brothers seemed more concerned for their place in the new hierarchy than listening carefully to what Jesus was saying. We are all like that, we can wonder away from topic and wonder what will be are role, and concern ourselves with personal outcomes. We are invited today to not be distracted by our anxiety over personal outcomes, rather, offer our time and energy in the service of others, thereby serving God in our midst.

Today, I ask God to help me, as we approach Holy Week, to set aside worry over the future, and to offer myself, my time and my labor, my words and my being, for the good of others. May my life be sacrificial and un-calculated. May the only thing on my heart and mind be the care of others, the service of God in this world. May we all set out faces to Jerusalem, and offer what we have for others so that God may live in our midst and shine through all that we do.